Sustaining and stabilizing attachment for airplanes



April 15, 1930. H. P. FINLEY 1,755,058

SUSTAINING AND STABILIZING ATTACHMENT FOR AIRPLANES Filed May 8, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ATTOR NEY April 15, 1930. H. P. FINL EY 1,755,058

SUSTAINING A ND STABILIZING ATTACHMENT FOR AIRPLANES Filed May 8, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 V Eff EznZe y BY wwaw ATTORNEY INVENTOR Ap 1939- H. P. FINLEY 7 1,755,058

SWTAINING ANDSTABILIZING ATTACHMENT FOR AIRPLANES Filed May 8, 1929- 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 VENTOR ATTORNEY sion of an auxiliary propeller Patented Apr. 15. 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HARRY P. FINLEY, 01? LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0 TELAS 1 COLEMAN, 01? LITTLE ROCK, ARKANSAS SUSTAINING AND STABILIZING ATTACHMENT FOR AIRPLANES Application filed May 8,

This invention relates to improvements in airplanes and has especial relation to stabilizing or safety devices therefor.

An object of the present invention is to provide means for checking the descent of an airplane in the event of interference with the operation of the traction propeller or its engine, so that the plane may safely descdnd.

Another object of the invention is the pro Vision of an auxiliary propeller which is normally inactive and which may be rendered active to provide for a safe landing, or may be utilized as alifting propeller to provide for a more direct ascent, means being provided for controlling the operation of the auxiliary propeller so that it may be conveniently moved into and out of position for use.

With the above and other objects in View, the invention further includes the following :0 novel features and details of construction, to

be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings :5 Figure 1 is an elevation partly in section illustrating an airplane with the invention applied, the auxiliary propeller being shown in an inactive position.

Figure 2 is a similar View with the auxiliary '10 propeller arranged in position for use.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing the propeller driving and controlling means.

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Fig- 5 ure 3.

Figure 5is a fragmentary elevation partly in section'illustrating the means for holding the auxiliary propeller shaft in an upright position.

9 Figure 6 is an elevation taken at right angles to Figure 5.

' Referring to the drawings in detail wherein like characters of reference denote corresponding parts, the reference character 10 in- 5 dicates the fuselage of the machine, 11 the traction propeller and 12 the engine for drivingsaid propeller while the wing of the plane is indicated at 13. r

' The present invention resides in the provi- 14 which is I the shaft 21 of the engine and rotatable there- Serial No. 361,436.

' carried by the section 16. By this means, the

upper section 15 of the shaft of the propeller 14: may be vertically arranged as shown in Figure 2, but horizontally arranged as shown in Figure 1 of the drawings.

The propeller 14 is driven from an independent source of power which may be in the form of an engine 20. Slidably mounted upon with is a sleeve 22 and this sleeve has its outer end arranged to slide over one end of a shaft 23 which is mounted in a bearing provided in a gear housing 24:. The shaft 23 is longitudinally grooved as. shown at 25 so as to receive a rib 26 rigid with the sleeve 22 whereby rotation of the sleeve will rotate the shaft 23.

The opposite end of the shaft 23 is geared as shown at 25 to the lower end of the section 16 of the shaft of the propeller 1 1. This shaft section 16 extends into the gear housing 24 and rotates in suitable bearings provided for this purpose. As will be seen from Figure 3 of the drawings, theshaft 21 of the engine 20 is rectangular in cross section so that the sleeve 22 may slide thereon but will rotate therewith.

The shaft 21 and the inner end of the sleeve 22 are located within a housing 27 and mounted within this housing is a shaft 28 upon which is mounted a segmental gear 29. The gear 29 engages an idler 30 also mounted upon a shaft within the housing 27 and this idler engages circumferential teeth or ribs 31 which extend around the inner end of the ried by said section 15 through the medium of collars 36.

Arranged adjacent the seat 37 within the cock pit of the plane is an 0 erating lever 38 and this lever is connected rod 39 with the arm 32.

Normally, the propeller 14 may be arranged as shown in Figure 1 of the drawings and the airplane will travel under the power of the traction propeller 11. In the event of interference with the operation of the engine 12, the engine 20 may be brought into use. The lever 38 is then operated to move the arm 32 forward to the position shown in Figure 2, whereupon the section 15 of the shaft of the propeller 14 will be vertically positioned and as the finger 18 will ride over the end of the latch 19, the latch will thereafter engage this finger and hold the shaft section 15 upright. During this forward movement of the arm 32, the sleeve 22 will be moved axially forward due to the rotation of the segmental gear 29 and the idler 30, so that the clutch provided between the sleeve and the shaft 23'will be engaged and the shaft of the propeller 14 will be rotated.

The propeller 14 maybe used as an emergency propeller or as an auxiliary propeller to aid in making a more direct ascent or descent. I

The invention is susceptible of various changes in its form, proportions and minor details of construction and the right is herein reserved to make such changes as properly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention What is claimed 1s:

1. In combination with an airplane, a traction propeller, a lifting propeller, a separate source of power for the liftin propeller, means including a sectional sha to operatively connect the lifting propeller with its source of power, said shaft comprising a fixed section and an axiall movable section, coupling means for said sections, means to move the lifting propeller to an active position, and means operated by'the liftin propeller moving means to move the mova le section of Saidshaft axially and couple the same to the fixed section.

2. In combination with an airplane, a vertically disposed sectional shaft including an inner fixed section and an outer section hingedly secured thereto, a propeller carthe outer section, a finger extending from the inner end of the bin ed section, a spring influenced latch carried by the fixed section in the path of the finger and engagable therewith to hold the hinged section 1n upright osit-ion, means to raise the hinged sectfipn o the shaft, and means to rotate the In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

H.- P. FINLEY.

by means of a 

